Starting a new career or bagging a new job in the medical sector seems like a herculean task to many because of the interview. After all, there’s so much to prepare, remember, and work on! However, it’s not impossible to ace a healthcare interview – we’ll show you how.
This post is a detailed guide on some of the most commonly asked healthcare interview questions, so keep reading till the end to find out how to prepare the right answers!
Top Healthcare Interview Questions and Answers
You should do a bit of homework before an interview. First, you should focus on learning about the organization’s mission and the priorities of the admissions board. A keen understanding of those two will help you focus your answers accurately.
The recruiters in healthcare are usually interested in what are your goals as a medical professional, how do you handle difficult situations, and what soft-skills do you actually possess.
We have given example answers with each of the following questions. They are only to give you an idea of what kind of answer you should give.
1. What is the Future of Healthcare in your Opinion?
Answer: Due to the pandemic, the world has realized the importance of virtual care. I think the use of digital technologies such as AI, Robotics, ML, and collaborative apps will help healthcare professionals in providing effective care to their patients.
2. Why Should We Hire you?
Answer: You should hire me because I would be a good fit for your mission of putting patients before everything else. I believe that this is how all healthcare should be provided. My experience in caring for the needy and underserved populations helped widen my vision and perspectives. I can work efficiently both alone and as part of a team. Also, I can display strong leadership qualities to manage and handle a team as and when needed.
3. What do you consider is your Biggest Career Failure or Mistake?
Answer: I was given a new team of recruits to manage in my last job. Before that, I had no experience in interacting with freshers so I never knew how challenging it would be. Eventually, I worked on myself and paid attention to my superiors on how I can get better. Even though the first few months were a little difficult, things became smooth after some adjustments and learning on my part.
4. Why did you choose to Pursue a Career in Healthcare?
Answer: When I was around 16, my best friend got very sick. His family went to see four doctors before receiving the right diagnosis and treatment. The incident made me realize how important it is to get the right medical attention and care. Ever since I’ve had a strong urge to help people. This is why I chose to pursue a career in healthcare. I want to help people and make a difference.
5. Have you Faced a Patient Who didn’t share Crucial Information or Communicate Properly? How did you Handle this Issue and What was the Result?
Answer: I treated a patient who came with her father. She had a headache and seemed to be in urgent need of treatment. However, she kept looking at her father before answering any questions so I asked him if I could talk to her alone. It allowed her to be more comfortable and share information easily.
6. Have you Worked with a Patient that Required a lot of your Time and Effort? If so, How did you look After this Patient while Providing other Patients with the Necessary Care?
Answer: I once had a patient whose condition kept getting worse during a hectic time. First, I identified if any serious (life-threatening) conditions were present in the hospital and prioritized those accordingly. Then I examined the patient and ensured their vitals were stable. While waiting for the test results, I administered time-sensitive treatments like antibiotics. After that, I and my team looked after other patients’ appointments.
7. If you Had to Share Bad News to a Patient About their Health, How Would you Handle It?
Answer: I would start by gathering all the crucial information to ensure I’m ready to answer all of their equations. If the family members are present in the room, I would introduce myself and ask the patient if they want to receive the results privately or with the relatives present. Then I would break the news to them as humanely as possible. Without using any jargon, I would explain the situation and ensure that everyone understands everything.
8. How do you Hope to Impact the World as a Healthcare Professional?
Answer: As a healthcare professional, I hope to impact the world and make a difference by making medical services more accessible to the underserved communities of our society. I aim to find volunteering opportunities in community clinics and remote areas whose residents don’t even have access to basic healthcare facilities.
9. How do you Manage Stressful Situations?
Answer: I think I can manage stressful situations quite well. First, I analyze the situation to see what things are under my control and what I can get into control right away. Then I create my strategy to get things in order. Usually, when I feel too stressed, I listen to music to calm my nerves.
10. What are the Different Types of Healthcare?
Answer: Healthcare is primarily divided into two types:
1) Primary Care: Primary care refers to the care provided by a generalist doctor. It focuses on the diagnosis and treating small ailments.
2) Secondary Care: Secondary care refers to the care provided by a specialist doctor. It focuses on treating advanced ailments.
11. What Skills, According to you, Make a Good Healthcare Professional?
Answer: In my experience, I have found that a good healthcare professional should possess the following skills:
1) Compassion
A healthcare professional should be able to understand the condition of their patient. Compassion adds a human touch to the treatment and makes things easier for everyone.
2) Team-spirit
In healthcare, we all work in teams. One should know how to collaborate on tasks, follow directions and help each other with their duties.
3) Communication
Miscommunication can be a cause of many issues so I believe strong communication skills are vital for any healthcare professional.
How to Prepare Healthcare Interview Questions
Preparing interview questions can be quite challenging especially when you’re in the medical sector. Most of the healthcare interview questions and answers we shared in this article were related to soft skills, character, and personality. You should be well-versed in the different subjects of your discipline, as many of the interview questions focus on exploring your expertise.
The best way to prepare for technical questions is to take a healthcare course in your field. A course will provide you with an individualized learning experience as you’ll explore the various topics and skills present in your field.
At upGrad, we offer numerous healthcare courses in partnership with the University of Essex, a top UK university:
Courses in Infection Control
a) PG Certificate Infection Control
b) PG Diploma Infection Control
Courses in Healthcare Management
a) Certificate of Higher Education Healthcare Management
b) BSc (Hons) Healthcare Management
c) PG Certificate International Healthcare Management
d) PG Diploma International Healthcare Management
e) MSc International Healthcare Management
Courses in Nursing
c) MSc Nursing
Courses in Psychology
a) Certificate of Higher Education Psychology
Courses in Public Health
a) PG Certificate Public Health
c) Master of Public Health (MPH)
All of these courses are online so you can learn from the comfort of your home without disturbing your professional life. You get to study from industry experts and connect with fellow students and professionals during these courses, allowing you to expand your knowledge sphere.
Moreover, these healthcare courses will teach you all the necessary concepts so you can answer technical interview questions easily. These certifications will help you stand out among your competitors as well.
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